About
Turn a pile of servos and 3D-printed parts into a lifelike animatronic eye — and build a skill that entertainment, film, VFX, theme-park and robotics companies are actively hiring for. Animatronics is having a moment. Studios, haunt and prop makers, theme parks, museums, and social-robotics startups all need makers who can bring expressive faces to life. This hands-on, self-paced program teaches you exactly that, using the acclaimed EyeMech 3.2 mechanism designed by Will Cogley as your build platform. You'll go from zero to a fully working, camera-tracking animatronic eye system: six coordinated micro-servos driving two eyes with realistic gaze, subtle eyelid follow, and a striking snap blink. Everything is 3D-printed and open-source, so the skills transfer directly to your own characters, props, and robots. WHO THIS IS FOR Graduates and students building a standout portfolio; robotics engineers adding expressive motion and HRI (human-robot interaction) to their toolkit; startup professionals prototyping social and interactive robots; and cosplay, prop, and film/VFX makers who want their creations to feel alive. WHAT YOU'LL BUILD WITH The course is built around the EyeMech 3.2 Full Kit (with optional camera) available from RoboTechMinds. It includes the 6 micro-servos (SG90/MG90S), a dedicated controller board (or Raspberry Pi Pico option), all 3D-printed components, and an optional camera module for face tracking. Get the kit: https://www.robotechminds.com/product-page/eyemech-32-full-kit-with-optional-cam WHAT YOU'LL LEARN (10 practical modules) 1. Animatronics & the Hiring Landscape - where the jobs are and what studios expect. 2. Inside the EyeMech 3.2 - the anatomy of a professional eye mechanism. 3. 3D Printing & Sourcing - printing parts and choosing SG90 vs MG90S servos. 4. Mechanical Assembly - building the two-eye + eyelid mechanism step by step. 5. Electronics & Wiring - controller board / Pico setup and safe servo power. 6. Programming Eye Movement - coding natural gaze, saccades, and easing. 7. Eyelids & the Snap Blink - choreographing realistic blinks and eyelid follow. 8. Face Tracking with the Camera - computer vision so the eyes follow real people. 9. Calibration & Troubleshooting - killing jitter and making it reliable. 10. Prototype to Production - integrating into props/characters and landing gigs. By the end you'll have a working build, the confidence to design your own mechanisms, and a portfolio piece that speaks directly to what media and entertainment employers want. Design credit & open-source reference: EyeMech 3.2 by Will Cogley - https://willcogley.notion.site/EyeMech-3-2-1af24779b64d80b19edfdd795d4b90e5
You can also join this program via the mobile app. Go to the app